Air separator



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Inventors.

. Gvbsan Charms E. Nee-01mm W. A. GiB ON ET AL AIR SEPARATOR Filed Nov.16. 1921 Wu ham A July 3, 1923.

Jufly 3, 1923.

W. A. GFB$ON ET AL AIR SEPARATOR Filed Nov. 16 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Fig.2.

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Patent an a, 1923.

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".5- A. GIBSON AND CEARL$ E. NEEDHAM, F ALLEHTOWN, PENNSYLV,

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. IGN'OBS TO BRADLEY PULVERIZER GOMPANY, OE BOSTON, n

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A SEPARA'IOR.

application filed November 18, 11. aerial Ito. 515,513..

.To all whom it may .cmwem:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. GIBSON and CHARLES E. NEEDHAM, bothcitizens of the United States, residing at Allentown, county of Lehigh,State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Air Separaters,of'which the following description,

in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to improvements in air separators, in which thefine, finished material is separated from the coarser material by anascending current of air, and the principal object of the invention isto provide means for more efiectively distributmg the material to beseparated, and subjectin the same to ascending and preferably radial yprojected currents of an Which Will carry only the fine, finishedmaterial upwardly and permit the tailings'to drop into a suitableconveyer.

A further object of-., the invention is to provide means for regulatingthe ascending air currents. 7

A further object of the invention is to providean-improved means forsupporting and actuating the fan which produces the air current and themechanism which distributes the material to be treated.

These and other objects and features of the invention will morefully-appearfrom the following description and the accompanyin drawings,and will be particularly pointe out in the claims.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the casings of theair separator, showing the distributing mechanism and fan, and means foractuating the same, in elevation Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view on an enlargeds'cale of the mechanism for supporting androtating the fan and distributor.

Fi 3 is a detailed view of a portion of the distributor plate and one ofthe distributing vanes secured thereto in angular relation to thehorizontal plane of the dis--- preferably cylindrical casing 1, having aclosed top 2 and a ho per-shaped bottom 3, provided with a con uit 4:through which the finished material may be discharged, and an inner,preferably cylindrical casing 5 concentric. with the outer casing,having a top 6 provided with'a central opening 7 the inner casingforming a separating chamber in which the material is distributed andseparated.

A deflector 8, preferably of truncated conical form, is secured in thelower portion of the inner casing 5, and is provided at its lower endwith brackets 9, which support a hollow, preferably conical member 10,provided with apertures desirably in the form of longitudinal slots 11.A cover 12, also of conical form, is fitted upon the conical member 10,and is pivotally mounted thereuponquirements of the separator. Aconvenient means for thus adjusting the conical cover 12, which isillustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a rod 15 preferably secured to theconical cover 12 by a ball and socket connection 16, said rod beingprovided with a screw-thread ed end portion 17 which engages thecomlementary screw threads in a boss or racket 18 secured to the outerside of the casing. A hand wheel 19 fixedly secured upon the outer endof the rod 15 provides means for rotating the same, so that the rod maybe screwed inwardly or outwardly in the bracket 18 to adjust theposition ofthe conical cover 12 relatively to the conical member 10,thereby varying the efiective area of the openings through which air isprojected into the separating chamber.

The lower end of the conical member 10 v is located above the deflector8 to provide an I annular opening 20, through which the tailings may bedischarged from the separating chamber. Any suitable means may be.provided for carrying away the tailings. In the constructionillustrated, a hopper 21 is provided for this purpose, which is supiltiEi ported upon brackets 22 depending from the deflector 8. The lowerend of the hopper 21 communicates with a conduit 23, which extendsthrough the wall of the hopper 3.

A continuously circulating current of air is produced by a fan 24located in the space or partitions 27 are introduced in the chamher 26between the inner and outercasings to direct the current of airproduced-by the fan directly downwardly and to prevent a rotation of airin the chamber.

By reason of the constructionaforesaid,

.the current of air produced by the fan is continuously circulateddownwardly through the chamber 26 between the inner and outer casings,and passes therefrom beneath the tapered lower end 28 of the innercasing upwardly through the space between the hopper 21 and the lowerend of the truncated deflector 8 into the hollow, preferably conicalmember 10 which extends upwardly into the separating chamber. The air isthen projected through the apertures or .slots 14 in the conical member10 radially outwardly and upwardly through the separating chamber,eventually passing through the central aperture 7 in the top of thecasing which forms th separating chamber. The material is projectedcentrifugally into the path of the radial and ascending currents of airwhich are produced by reason of the air passing through the aperturesabove described. By varying the area of these apertures, the characterof the currents which act upon the material may be varied at will, sothat the separator may be adapted to operate efficiently upon materialsof difl'erent quality. Such regulation also enables the separator to beset to deliver material of a predetermined fineness or quality.

A further object of the invention is to provide a more efiective meansfor distributing the material to be separated in the upper portion ofthe separating chamber. In air separators heretofore constructed, thematerial has been usually distributed by being projected fromtheperiphery of a horizontal circular plate, from which it is thrown off insubstantially the plane of the upper surface of the plate. li le presentimproved distributor comprises a preferably horizontal rotatingdistributing plate 22 iocated in the upper portion of the separatingchamber, and provided with a series of inclined vanes 30. The vanes aresecured by suitable brackets 31 to the periphery of the plate 29.

and desirably are inclined to the horizontal plane of the upper surfaceof the distributmg plate 29 so that their rear edges are higher than theplane of said plate. The

into the outer chamber 26 be-.

ascupeo vanes also preferably are inclined backwardly from radii of saidhorizontal plate,

as illustrated in Fig. 2. By reason of this construction, the materialwhich is thrown ofl" from the distributor plate 29 is projectedvigorously upwardl and outwardly, thus causing a more comp eteseparation of the particles of the material than has-heretofore beenobtained, and consequently en plate 29 being spaced apart from thecollar 33 by sleeves 35 surrounding the bolts 32. The tubular shaft 34is secured to and supported by a ar 36, which is superimposed upon agear 3 ,which is connected to a tubular shaft 38, which surrounds thetubular shaft 34, and at its lower end is connected to and supports thespider 39 of the fan 24. The gear 37 is journalled in a bearing 40.

which is carried by cross girders 41 secured to the top 2 of the outercasing. Suitable bushings 42 are interposed between the inner tubularshaft 34 and the outer-tubular shaft 38. and a suitable bushing 43 isalso provided for the bearing 40.

The upper portion of the bearing is provided with upwardly extendingannular flanges 44, which forman oil chamber in which is situated thelower race 45 of a ball bearing. The upper race of said ball bearing issecured to the lower end of thegear 37 The gear 37 desirably is providedwith a downwardly extending flange 48, which telescopes upon the outerflange 44 of the bearing 40. The antisfriction bearing, therefore, is soconstructed that it may be partially immersed in-a lubricant, and thedust-excluded from the lubricant by the telescoping flanges whichsurround the bearconveniently be located uponthe opposite side of thebearing.

The gear 37 which drives the fan desirably is likewise provided with anupwardly extending annular flange 53, which forms a chamber to receivethe lower race 54 of a ball bearin the upper race of which is secured tot e lower end of the gear 36 which drives the distributor. A flange 56telescoping upon the flange 53 of the lower gear 37, serves to excludethe dust from this upper bearing. Any suitable means -may be providedfor supplying oil or grease to the upper bearing.

The material may be supplied to a hopper 57 carried upon the upper endof a pipe 58, which extends downwardly through the inner tubular shaft34, and terminates a short distance above the centre of the distributingplate 29.

Any suitable means may be provided for rotating the gears which drivethe fan and the distributor respectively. As illustrated herein, theupper gear 36, which carries-and rotates the distributor, is actuatedthrough a pinion 59 upon a horizontal shaft 60, supported by suitablebearings upon the girders 41. The shaft 60 is provided with fast andloose driving ulleys 61 and 62.

The gear 3? which actnates the fan is driven by a pinion 63 upon a shaft64 mounted in suitable bearings, carried by the initill till

ers 41. Preferably meansare provide for varying the speed of rotation ofthe fan. A convenient means comprises reversely disposed conical beltpulleys and 66, carried respectively by the shaft 64, and a countershaft having last and loose driving pulleys 67 and 68. Thebelt, (notshown), passing over the conical pulleys 65 and 66, may be shifted inthe direction of the axis of the conical pulleys to vary the speed ofrotation oi the shaft 64, and consequently the speed of rotation of thefan. Similar means may, if desired, also be provided for varying thespeed of rotation of the distributor 29, but ordinarily it would beunnecessary to provide means for varying both the speed of rotation ofthe fan and the speed of rotation of the distributing plate.

In the operation of the machine, the material to be separated is fedinto the hopper 57, from which it passes downwardly through the pipe 58upon the horizontal distributor plate 29, from which it is graduallyprojected contrifugally from the, periphery of the plate. As thematerial passes from the periphery of the plate 29, it is caught by theangnlarly and rearwardly inclined faces of the vanes 30, and projectedupwardly and outwardly in the upper portion of the separating chamber.By this construction, the material to be separated is distributed withsubstantial uniformity throughout the upper portion of the separatingchamber. As the particles of the material are being projected in thismanner, they are acted upon by the radially outward and upward currentsof air which ascend through the apertures or slots in the conical member10. The fine material which is carried by the as cendin current of airpasses upwardly throng the opening 7 in the top of the inner casing,thence outwardly in the space between the tops of the inner and outercasing, and thence downwardly through the space between the inner andouter casing. The baflie plates 27 prevent a rotary motion of the air inthis chamber, and also greatly facilitate the delivery of the finefinished material into the hopper 3, whence" it is carried through theconduit 4 to a suitable bin or receptacle. The heavy material which isnot carried away by the ascending air current from the separatingchamber passes downwardly through the space 20, between the bottom ofthe conical member 10 and the deflector 8, and drops into the hopper 21,

we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An air separator comprising an outer closed casin and an inner casingspaced apart theretrom providing an inner and outer chamber, means forcausing a currentof air to pass continuously downwardly in one of saidchambers, means for dividing said current of air into a plurality ofcurrents and directing the same substantially radially and upwardlywithin and through the other chamber, means *for projecting the materialinto the path of the ascending currents of air, means for delivering thefinished material from the chamber having the descending current of air,and means for delivering the tailings from the chamber having theupwardly ascending currents of air.

2. An air separator comprising an outer closed casin and an inner casingspaced apart therefrom providing an inner and outer chamber, means forcausing a current of air to passcontinuously downwardly in one of saidchambers, means for dividing said current of air into a plurality ofcurrents and directing the same substantially radially outwardly andupwardly within Mill outer casing havin a delivery hopper for thefinished materia an inner casing spaced apart therefrom roviding aninner separating chamber, distributing means for projecting the materialto be separatedcentrifugally in the upper portion of said separatingchamber, means for delivering the tailings from said separating chamber,a hollow member centrally located within said separating chamber havingapertured walls, and means for causing'a current of air to passcontinuously downwardly through the passage between said outer and innerea ings and upwardly through sald apertures in the wall of said hollowmember into and through said separating chamber thereby producing aplurality of radially outward and upward currents, in said separatingchamber.

4. An air separator comprising a closed outer casing having a deliveryhopper for the finished material, an inner casing spaced apart therefromroviding an inner separating chamber, dlstributing means for projectingthe material to be separated centrifugally in the upper portion of saidseparating chamber, means for delivering the tailings from saidseparating chamber, a hollow member within said separatingchamber'having apertured walls, meansfor causing a current of air topass continuously downwardly through the passa e between said outer andinner casings an upwardly through said apertures in the wall of saidhollow member into and throu h said separating chamber thereby producinga plurality of radially outward and upward currents in said separatingchamber, and means for regulating the -size of the apertures in saidhollow member. p

5. An air separator comprising a closed outer casing having a deliveryhopper for the finished material, an inner casing spaced apart therefromdividing an inner separating chamber, distributing means for pro jectingcentrifugally the material to be separated in the upper portion of saidseparating chamber, a hollow upwardly taperin apertured member locatedbelow and coaxially with said distributing means, means for causing acurrent oi air to pass continuously downwardly through the passage between said outer and inner casings and .upwardly through the aperturesin said up wardly tapering member into and through said separatingchamber thereby producing a plurality of radially outward and upwardcurrents in said separatin chamber, and means for delivering thetallings from said separating chamber.

6. An air separator comprising a closed outer casing having a deliveryhopper for the finished n at; inner casing spaced apart therefrom aninner separating chamber, distributing means for pro nee s ll. An" airseparator comprising a closed outer casing having a delivery hopper forthe finished material, an inner casing spaced apart therefrom dividingan inner separating chamber, distributing means for projectincentri'lugally the material to be separat in the upper portion of saidseparating chamber, a hollow conical member located below and co-axialwith said distributin means, having its wall provided withlongitudinally extending apertures converging toward the a x of saidhollow conical member, means or causing a current of air to 'passcontinuously downwardly through the passage between said outer and innercasings and radially outwardly and upwardly through the apertures insaid conical member means for delivering the tailings from saidseparating chamber, a conical covering member superimposed upon saidconical member, having apertures complementary to those in said conicalmember, and means for rotarily adjusting said conical covering memberwhereb the effective area of said apertures may be varied.

8. An air separator comprising a closed outer casing, having a deliveryhopper for the finished material, an inner casingspaced apart therefromproviding a separating chamber, distributing means for projectingmaterial to be supported centrifugally in the upper portion of saidseparating chamber, means including vertical bafie plates crossing thepassage between the inner and-outer casings for causing a current of airto pass continuously downwardly through the passage between the innerand outer casings and acting to pre vent rotary movement of the air insaid passage, means for dividing said current of air into a plurality ofcurrents and directing the same radially and upwardly through saidseparating chamber.

9, An air separator comprising a closed outer casing hrs/5m a deliveryhopper for the finished material, an inner casi spaced apart therefromproviding an inner separating chamber, means for causing a continuouscurrent of to pass downwardly: rough the passage between said outer andinner he. a M "it l in a casings upwardly acrea e were outer casinghaving a delivery hopper for the finished material, an inner casingspaced apart therefrom providing an inner separating chamber, means forcausing a contmuous current of air to pass downwardly through i thepassage between said outer and inner cash s and upwardly through saidseparating 0 amber, a rotatable horizontal centrifugal distributingplate located centrally in the upper ortion of said separating chamber,provi ed with peripheral vanes having the planes of their upper surfacesinclinedto the horizontal and also inclined rearwardly from radii ofsaid plate and operable to roject'the material upwardly and outward y asit is discharged by the centrifugal action of said plate.

11. A distributor for air separators comprising a rotatable circularplate provided with peripheral vanes'having the lanes of their uppersurfaces inclined to t e plane of said plate and alsowinclinedrearwardly from radii of said plate, and operable upon rotation of saidplate to project the mate rial deposited thereon upwardly and outwardlyas it is discharged by the centrifugal action of said plate.

12. An air separator comprising .a closed outer casing, having adelivery'hopper for the finished materia an inner casing spaced aparttherefrom, orming a separating chamber, means for delivering thetailings from said separati chamber, a rotatable fan located between t etops of said casings,

a distributor within said separating chamber, central, concentric,tubular shafts connected respectively to andsupporting said fan anddistributor, superimposed driving members connected to the respectivetubular positioned to project the material.

shafts and anti-friction bearings intermediate of the hubs of saiddriving members.

13. An air separator comprising a closed outer casing, having a deliveryhopper for the finished material, an inner casing spaced aparttherefrom, forming a separating chamber, means for delivering thetailings from said separating chamber, a rotatable fan located betweenthe tops of said casings, a distributor within said separatin chamber,central concentric tubular sha ts connected respectively to andsupporting said fan and distributor, a supporting bearing for the outertubular shaft having an upwardly extending annular flange, a drivingpinion connected to said outer tubular shaft, provided with a flangetelescoping the flange on said bearing, and an anti-friction bearing inthe chamber formed by said telescoping flanges.

14. An air separator comprising a closed outer casing, having a deliveryhopper for the finished material, an inner casing spaced aparttherefrom, forming a separating chamber, means for delivering thetailings from said separating chamber, a rotatable fan located betweenthe tops of said casings, a distributor within said separating chamber,central concentric tubular shafts conflanges,'and means for supplyingthe 011 to said anti-friction bearings.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

A. G E.

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